Lexan and Fog Lights - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Zerohour · 02-27-2011, 01:23 PM

Morning Guys and Gals

I have several mods already done with my Subaru, and I've been sitting on the material to make Fog Light covers.

Anyone familar with the Subaru Outback knows the fog lights are cupped into the bumper. I'm sure those pockets of air cause all kinds of turbulent flow (especially after the lower grill block).

My question is simple. Has anyone had experience with Lexan and it melting from head lamps or fogs? I will basically be cover the recessed fog light and trapping a pocket of air. I'm fairly confident that the 9005 bulb will not produce enough heat to do damage, but its always fun to ask.

This will also be my next, on-going project for the Subaru, so this can count as the offical thread.

bikin' Ed · 02-28-2011, 08:58 AM

Do you even use the fog lights? With todays high quality headlights, I don't find any advantage in using my fog lights.

mcrews · 02-28-2011, 10:46 AM

Lexan has a REALLLLYYYY high reistance.
just not sure how high, but much higher than the fog thats 3-4 inches away. you can probably google it.

DonR · 02-28-2011, 01:02 PM

Most new headlight covers are made from Lexan.

If you're worries, put a few small holes in the covers. This will let air circulate around, cooling them & shouldn't screw up aero dynamics that bad.

Don

Zerohour · 02-28-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikin' Ed

Do you even use the fog lights? With todays high quality headlights, I don't find any advantage in using my fog lights.

Have you ever driving in real fog? Yeah they help quite a bit

Also not to bad on dark roads with tire eating potholes and, it never hurts to use them in the snow when it get into the 2"-3" in/hr.

brucey · 03-01-2011, 12:20 AM

I found them completely useless, don't miss them at all.

Just cover them up!

euromodder · 03-01-2011, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zerohour

Have you ever driving in real fog? Yeah they help quite a bit

Does opening the door to see where you are on the road, qualify as driving in real fog ?

I've found the foglights to be mostly useless.
In conditions other than fog or thick snow, it's illegal for me to use them anyway.

IIRC, Volvo was even going to delete foglights on future models.

Zerohour · 03-01-2011, 07:54 PM

Well I will admit, if you driving down roads without lines, than fog lights are very helpful. But if you're on properly painted road in heavy fog, they give you some since of guidance. There are days, that in the morning, the valley will fill with fog. I leave my house and drive off into the mist. Doesn't happen often. But the painted lines in front of the car are basically the guiding lines. If not for them, you pretty much wouldn't be able to tell where you are going when you escape the tree lines and hit the open fields.

I always liked having some extra light in front with snow as well. There are times where you can flood the road with the low aimed fogs and see the road without using the headlights and blinding yourself in "high rate" snow fall.

I would say fogs are pretty useless for 98% of daily driving, but its that other 2% of year I'd rather have them.

NachtRitter · 03-01-2011, 09:58 PM

The bad part about putting a clear cover over the fogs is that they'll probably become so dirty & scratched over time that they'll eliminate any benefit the fog lights would have anyway... seems like you'd be better off with a removable cover (velcro, magnets, quarter-turn fasteners?) that you can quickly yank off for that 2% of the time you want to use the fogs... you wouldn't be going all that fast on those days anyway, so I'd guess the aero penalty would be minimal when the covers are off...

Zerohour · 03-01-2011, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NachtRitter

The bad part about putting a clear cover over the fogs is that they'll probably become so dirty & scratched over time that they'll eliminate any benefit the fog lights would have anyway... seems like you'd be better off with a removable cover (velcro, magnets, quarter-turn fasteners?) that you can quickly yank off for that 2% of the time you want to use the fogs... you wouldn't be going all that fast on those days anyway, so I'd guess the aero penalty would be minimal when the covers are off...

Well this would be the first attempt. We're coming out of winter now, so the chipping should be a minimum. I'm not too concerned with the lexan getting scratched over time. If last 2 years I'd be impressed.

Might be working on this in the coming days. I need to play with some heaters to hopefully form the lexan!